Locking device



March 23, 1965 E. WILLlAMS LOCKING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 4, 1961 INVENTOR; LEW/5 E. WILL/4M5 A TTORNEY March 23, 1965 L. E. WILLIAMS LOCKING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 4, 1961 l5 2| 23 2O 24 22 I6 INVENTOR.

LEW/S E. W/LL/AMS 6 2M A TTOR/VE Y 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR- LEW/S E. WILLIAMS ATTORNEY I... E. WILLIAMS LOCKING DEVICE March 23, 1965 Filed Oct. 4, 1961 United States Patent 3,174,315 LOCKING BEVHIE Lewis E. Williams, 12081 Sheridan Lane, Garden Grove, Calif. Filed Oct. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 142,309 8 Claims. (Ci. 70337) This invention relates to a novel type of door and twin lock combination and in particular to a new and improved twin lock type of door suitable for safe-deposit boxes and the like.

The conventional safe-deposit box door usually consists of a thin door adapted to close an opening in the supporting frame and case. To this door there are secured the locking elements which generally include a pair of key plugs that are equipped with the required number of tumblers, pins etc., and are displaced by notches on the key; the two key plugs, when the tumblers release the pins, actuate suitable linkage that operates the locking bolt member and causes the door to remain locked and engage the locking stop in the frame of the case when the bolt is in its extended position and permi'ts the door to swing open on its hinge whenever the bolt is retracted. The locking elements, other than the forward end portion of the key plugs that are inserted in corresponding bores in the door, are usually separated from the door and are secured to it by means of bolts, screws, nuts, and the like. This type of construction can be broken without too much difliculty by striking blows of sufiicient force against the forward exposed ends of the key plugs, the force required to accomplish this is usually not too great.

It is a purpose of this invention to make available a safe-deposit box door or the like having a twin lock combination wherein all parts of the locking mechanism, including the entire key plugs, with the exception of the necessarily exposed end into which the key is inserted, are completely enclosed and housed in the door itself. The only portion of the locking mechanism that projects outside the body of the door will be the end of the locking bolt that must necessarily engage the corresponding closing stop of the frame and case.

Another purpose of this invention is to make available a door and twin lock combination that is simple in construction, compact, easy to fabricate, and requires no bolts, screws, nuts or other conventional fastening means to hold the various elements assembled.

A further purpose of this invention is to provide a door and twin lock combination that is sturdy and is capable of withstanding stronger blows applied to the ends of the key plugs of the locking mechanism that the existing type of safe-deposit box doors, without damage to the operating mechanism.

An additional purpose of this invention is to provide a door and twin lock combination that is easy to assemble, contains a minimum number of elements, and is designed to permit easy access to the tumblers of either one or both of the key plugs without removing the plugs from the door or taking the door out of its supporting frame and case.

My novel door and twin lock combination comprises a door body of substantial thickness and of high tensile strength material having a hinge at one end and a stop at the other end adapted to engage a corresponding looking element or locking bar that is at the side of the door opening in the frame and case to which the door is hingedly secured. A locking bolt is housed and supported within the body of the door and is capable of sliding in the door body and reciprocating within its supporting bore. A pair of key plugs are also rotatably mounted within the door body and housed therein and are posi- 3,174,315? Patented Mar. 23, 1%65 tioned to engage suitable rack teeth of the locking bolt with the coacting pinion teeth of the key plugs, these teeth extending longitudinally along the surface of each key plug and preferably continuing to the end of the key plugs that is completely housed in the door body. The key plugs are rotatably secured to the door body by means of suitable retainers which are slidably inserted in the rear portion of the door body and constitute a portion of the door body. These key plug retainers coact with the rear portion of each key plug and prevent it from being pulled out of its respective bore. The housing portion of the door body is also provided with a slidable pin keeper retainer positioned above each key plug, that holds the tumblers, pins, springs in their respective bores and causes the springs to exert pressure against their respective pin and tumbler at all times. The slidable pin keeper retainer may also serve to lock in place the key plug retainer or retainers.

The above and subsequent detailed description will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric View of one embodiment of the new and improved safe-deposit box door showing the door body, hinge, door stop adjoining the extended locking bolt, and two key plugs in locking position. Also included are the upper end portions of the key plug retainers and their cooperating pin keepers.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view showing the relative position of the locking bolt, bolt notches or rack teeth, and the key plugs with their pinion teeth in engagement with the rack teeth of the locking bolt as these would appear in a transparent body. The door body housing the locking mechanism is shown in phantom and corresponds to the door body shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a preferred form of key plug retainer adapted for use in the rear of the door body shown in FIG. 1. The key plug retainer has dove tailed sides to engage the corresponding groove shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a key plug retainer such as shown in FIG. 3 taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3. The engaged end of a key plug is shown by the dotted lines.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2 showing that portion of the door body housing the locking bolt, twin key plugs and their pinion teeth with a portion of the inserted key in cross section, one tumbler, pin and spring, and a pin keeper slidable member in place in its respective groove.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the locking portion of a twin lock door combination wherein each key plug is individually and rotatably mounted in a housing element that is inserted in the door body at the required position to cooperate with the locking bolt.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of one of the key plug housings insertable in the body of the door as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a rear plan view of an individual key plug housing with the key plug in place and showing a construction adapted to be engaged by a housing retainer.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the housing shown in FIG. 7 showing the pin keeper slide removed from its cooperating groove and indicating the position of the tumbler, pin and spring bores.

FIG. 10 is a partial isometric view of the operating portion of one form of key plug housing retainer similar to the one shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view of the key plug housing retainer shown in FIG. 10 taken on the line Ill-11 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a rear plan view of another form of key plug housing retainer installed horizontally in a door body similar to the door body shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the inner portion of a key plug housing retainer shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view of the key plug housing retainer shown in FIG. 13 taken on the line 14-14 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a rear end plan view of the key plug housing and assembled key plug showing the construction adapted to be engaged by the key plug housing retainer shown in FIG. 13. i i

FEG. 16 is a side plan view of the key plug housing retainer shown in FIG. 15. l l

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a preferred embodiment of the invention that is suitable for use inthe ordinary small size safe-deposit box opening. Door body It is supplied with a hinge element 11 at one end and a stop 12 that projects from the opposite end. Stop 12 would normally rest against a door stop (not shown) that is one of the elements of the supporting frame opening and case, also not shown, to which the door is hingedly mounted. Door body is provided with a longitudinally extending bore that is preferably located near the central axis of the door body and locking bolt 14 is slidably fitted in bore.13 and is capable of reciprocation therein.

A pair of key plug bores 15 and 16, whose axes are normal to the longitudinal axis of bolt 14, are positioned so that the longitudinal axes of said key plug bores lie on a line parallel to the axis of bolt 14, the line being located a suitable distance above said axis of bolt 14 to permit pinion teeth 17 of each key plug 18 and 19 to engage a corresponding group of. rack teeth 21) positioned at the appropriate longitudinal location alongthe surface of bolt 14. Teeth 20 may be formed along a straight line along one side of the cylindrical surface of locking bolt 14 that is parallel to the axis of the bolt, 'or they may be made circular around the bolt as shown in FIG.'2, the latter being the preferred construction. Each key plug has two complete teeth, two partial teeth and a void adapted to be filled by the lower portion'of a key such as shown in FIG. 5. The majority of the teeth shown in FIG. 5 are located on the left side of each key plug, however, the majority of the teeth would be located on the 'right'side of each key plug in the event that the locking'bolt was intended to extend out from the right end of the door body, which would be opposite to the arrangement shown in the drawing. The door would be designed to swing to the left. when opening ifthe teeth an'dllocking bolt were reversed. v

Keys 21 and 22 are shown in cross section in FIG. 5 and are inserted in their respective key slots 23 and 24. When the keys are in the position shown in FIG. '5 the broad bottom of each key will serve as the missing pinion tooth of the otherwise incomplete pinion. After the keys are removed and the key plugs are in closed position as indicatedin FIGS. 1', 2, and 5, the locking bolt cannot be moved'in either direction since there is no tooth in the void to engage the registering gap between teeth in the rack formed. on the locking-bolt. The insertion of a single key in one key plug likewise would not permit the locking bolt to become completely retracted because there would be no tooth to engage that gap in the adjoining rack and allow that key plug to turn, both keys must be inserted completely in their slot before the key plugs can be turned and the locking bolt retracted.

Each key plug 18 and 19 is supplied with the required number of tumblers 25, that seat in vertical bores 26 extending from about the position of shoulder 27 of each key slot and continuing to the upper cylindrical surface of each key plug. The number of tumblers ZSand bores in each key plug can be as high as ten and will usually not be less than one or two. The number shown in the drawings is six for convenience. The housing portion of body 10 of the door surrounding bores 15 and 16 is provided with a corresponding number of vertical bores 28 adapted to register with bores 26 and extend from the end of the vertical diameter of bores 15 and 16 to the bottom of mortisecl dove-tailed grooves 29 located in the upper side 39 of door body 10. Tumblers 25 act on pins 31 when displaced by the notches of their respective key as shown in FIG. 5 and place each tumbler 25 flush with the upper cylindrical surface of the key plug so that each pin 31 is entirely in registering bore 28 and thus permit the key plug to be rotated. Since the bottom of each key is seated in the notch between the teeth of its respective rack 21} and the tumblers have displaced their respective pins31 the keys can be turned and the completed pinions 17 will on being turned retract locking bolt 14 and place it completely in bore 13 permitting the door to be opened. 9

Each pin 31 is acted upon by a suitable spring 32, preferably a coil spring, that forces pin 31' against tumbler 25 and tends to restore tumbler 25 against the bottom of bore 26 and permits a portion of pin 31 to extend into bore 26 thereby preventing key plug 18 or 19 from rotating.. Spring 32 is held in compression by a so-called pin keeper insert 33 that has preferably dove-tailed sides 34 adapted to slide in mortised dovetailed groove 29 that is positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis of each key plug and extends transversely across upper side 39 of the door body. Mortised groove 29 extends forwardly from the rearward edge35'of side 30 and continues to a point near but not to forward edge 36 of side 30. Pin keeper inserts 33, when seated in their respective groove 29 are preferably flush with the surface of side 36. Each pin keeper insert 33 is slightly longer than the length of mortised groove 29.

Key plugs 18 and 19 are each preferably provided with a flange portion 37 at their forward end, that is the end into which the key is inserted. Flanges 37 seat in corresponding counterbored annuluses 38 that are concentric with bores 15 and 16 and extend inwardly from the rent of the door body a distance corresponding to the thickness of flanges 37. The rear end portions of key plugs 18 and 19: are provided. with a circumferential groove 39 that has a diameter at the bottom of the groove corresponding. to the root diameter of pinion teeth 17 of the key plugs, the groove being located a short distance from end 40 of each key plug.

Key plugs 18 and 19 are rotatably secured to door body 10 preferably by means of two key plug retainers 41 and 42 that have dove-tailed sides 43 and 44 as shown in FIGS..1 and 3. Key plug. retainers 41 and 42 slide in a preferably vertical pair of mortised dove-tailed grooves 45- and 46 located in the rear of door body 10. Grooves 45 and 46 are preferably symmetrically positioned on each side, of the vertical diameter of the ends of key plugs 18 and 19. Both key plug retainers are provided with a circular cavity 47 that extends a substantial distance into each key plug retainer but not through it. The depth of cavitiesv 47 are made slightly deeper than the position of ends 40 of each respective keyplug when its flange 37 is seated in counterbored annular groove 38. Bores 47 are also slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of end 40 ofthe key plugs when fully housed in door body 10. When the upper ends of-key plug retainers 41 and 42 are flush with side 31 cavities 47'will be positioned along a vertical axis parallel to the vertical diameter of key plugs 18 and 19 and will lie completely below key plug ends 40. A second bore or cavity 48 having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the bottom of groove 39 is placed on the same vertical axis above circular cavity 47. 'The depth of cavity 48 corresponds to that of cavity 47 Each cavity 48 is connected to its respective cavity 47 by continuing each bore 48 downwardly at uniform diameter until it completely intersects the upper circumferential edge of cavity 47. This forms a groove 49 having sides parallel to the line or axis extending from the center of cavity 48 to the center of cavity 47. An undercut slot 50 having a diameter corresponding to the diameter or" cavity 47 and a thickness corresponding to the width of end portion 51 of each key plug, that is the distance between the rear edge of annular groove 3? and end 4!} of the key plug, is formed by continuing upwardly along the same vertical axis the diameter of cavity .7 at that depth, from the bottom of cavity 47, until the horizontal diameter of the larger cavity 47 lies on the horizontal diameter of the smaller cavity 48. This forms a roughly elliptical undercut slot that lies below a semielliptical lip 52. Lip 52 is adapted to receive annular groove 3 while the undercut slot will receive rear portion 51 of the respective key plug.

The upper end of each key plug retainer 41 and 42 is provided with a mortised dove-tailed groove 53 adapted to correspond in shape and size to mortised dove-tailed groove 29 in the upper side of door body 10. Mortised groove 53 will receive pin keeper 33 when key plug retainers 41 and 42 are slid in place in their respective mortised vertical groove in the door body and the tops are flush with side 36 of the door body. Key plug retainers 4-1 and 42 are also preferably flush with the surface of the rear side of door body It so that when fully assembled the safe-deposit box door presents a solid, uniformly smooth surface. If desired both key plug retainers 41 and 42 could be replaced by a single key plug retainer having two sets of cavities. In this event the single key plug retainer would be fitted with two mortised grooves 53 adapted to receive each of the pin keepers 33 located above its respective key plug.

Usually safe-deposit box doors require identification numbers. In my novel locking door combination this is done by providing a slidable identification number plate 54 having dove-tailed sides 55 and 55 as shown in MG. 1, and adapted to slide in a correspondingly mortised dove-tailed groove 57 located at any convenient position on the front of the door. In FIG. 1 the identification plate is located adjacent enlarging portion 58 that terminates with hinge element 11. Both pin keeper inserts 33 and the number plate can be made secure in their respective grooves by slightly distorting'the adjoining edge of the inserted member and the edge of the groove with a center punch so that the slidin member cannot he slipped out of its retaining groove without being forcibly driven out.

FIG. 5 shows the right hand side portion of a second door stop 5? located at end 6i of the door body and facing hinge element 11. Door stop 59 increases in width as it travels from the rear to the forward end of the stop and would therefore be larger at its forward end than at the cross sectional plane along which FIG. 5 is taken. Stop 59 will normally rest against a stop (not shown) that would be secured to the frame of the case (also not shown) and would be positioned between the forward edge of stop 59 and the rear edge of hinge element 11. This effectively prevents door It) from being opened at end 69 by destroying the hinge element or its retaining pin (not shown).

The manner in which my novel safe-deposit box door is assembled with the locking mechanism is as follows: locking bolt 14 is introduced into bore 13 and is advanced along that bore until the proper gap between the rack teeth 29 is centered in each of bores 15 and 16 of the door. Key plugs 18 and 19 are inserted in bores 15 and 16 with keys 21 and 22 in slots 23 and 24 respectively, the bottom of each key being seated in its correct gap between the rack teeth. Key plug retainers 41 and 42 are inserted in their respective groove 45 or 46 and slid downwardly until end 4% of each key plug drops into lower cavity 47. As the key plug retainer is lowered flanges 37 at each forward end of the key plugs will seat in counterbored annulus 38, and further lowering of key plug retainers 41 and 42 will permit annular groove 39 to engage lip 52 of parallel groove 49. When key plug retainers 41 and 42 are fully inserted and the top of each key plug retainer is flush with surface 39 of door body It), the upper half of annular groove 39 will be fully engaged by semielliptical lip 52 while end portion 51 of each key plug will be nested in undercut slot 50. This secures the key plugs to the door body and still permits the key plugs to be rotated.

The appropriate number of tumblers, in their proper sequence is inserted in bores 26 and registering bores 28. Springs 52 are placed in bores 28 against pins 31 and pin keeper inserts 33 are slipped into their corresponding dove-tailed groove 29 until it reaches the first spring. Each spring is compressed as the respective pin keeper insert is moved across the bore until all of the springs are under compression and are all housed below pin keeper insert 33. The pin keeper insert is then prevented from slipping out of its groove by centerpunching or otherwise slightly distorting the adjoining edges of pin keeper insert 33 and that of groove 29 at a convenient point.

FIG. 6 shows an application of the invention that is particularly suitable for situations where the door of the locking combination is wide and it is desirable to place the locking bolt near or at the center of the respective side of the safe-deposit box opening. This could not be done conveniently with the construction shown in FIG. 1. The construction shown in FIG. 6 could be easily employed in a door such as shown in FIG. 1 if this were desired. A particular feature of this modification is that it permits the key and tumbler combinations to be easily interchangeable without disturbing any of the tumblers, pins, springs, or pin keeper insert 33 of the installed combination that is to be replaced.

In this modification each key plug 18 or 19 is separately mounted in a key plug housing 61 that is preferably cylindrical, although it is to be understood that any other suitable geometric solid with a cross section such as a hexagon, octagon, square, etc., can be substituted if preferred. A key plug bore 62 is axially positioned so that the distance from the circumference of bore 62 at its upper edge to the upper end of pin bores 63 near the upper cylindrical surface of key plug housing 61 will be substantially the same as the length of registering bore 28 shown in FIG. 5. In the door shown in FIG. 6, the circumference of flange 37 of each key plug is shown as being positioned so that the bottom of the flange is close to the lower end of the vertical diameter of housing 61. This construction permits the diameter of the key plug housing to be a minimum. If deirable, however, the diameter of housing 61 could be increased sufficiently to permit key plug 13 or 19 to be centered in the housing or centered at any position along the lower half of the horizontal diameter between the center of the housing and the position shown in FIG. 6. If this is done each series of rack teeth on locking bolt 14 would have to be spaced accordingly.

Lower portion 64 of each key plug housing 61 is cut away to expose the lower portion of key plug bore s2 and permit pinion teeth 17 of the key plug as well as the bottom of the key, when inserted, to engage their respective group of rack teeth 20 at that portion of locking bolt 14. Cut away portion 64 extends preferably from the forward end of the horizontal diameter of bore 13 and continues to the rear end 65 of housing 61.

Rear end 65 of housing 61 is provided with a wide groove 66 that extends upwardly normal to the horizontal edge of cut away portion 64 and preferably continues through the upper cylindrical surface of housing 61. Groove 66 corresponds in depth to the combined thickness of rear end portion 51 of a key plug and the Width of annular groove 39. A snap ring 67 seats in annular 39 after key plug 18 or 19 is mounted in housing 61. The snap ring permits the key plug to rotate in the bore but prevents it from coming out, while flange 37 at the 7 forward end, seated in bore 33 prevents the key plug from moving any further toward the rear of the housing. The rear end of housing 61, adjoining the sides of groove 66, is preferably provided with an outwardly extending dovetailed tenon 68 and 69 on each side parallel to each other and also parallel to the vertical diameter of end 65 of the housing body. Tenons 68 and 69 extend from cut away portion 64 to the upper cylindrical surface of key plug housing 61. The depth of tenons 68 and 69 corresponds to the depth of groove 66. This construction is shown in FIGSL7, 8, and 9. If desired rear end 65 of housing 61 could be provided with a single vertical tenon 68, in which case the opposite side would be curved and would extend to end 65.

The upper cylindrical surface of housing 61 is provided with a longitudinally extending mortised dove-tailed groove 70 that begins at groove 66 and continues forwardly toward end 71 of housing 61 but does not reach that end. Groove 70 is adapted to receive pin retainer insert 72 that has corresponding dove-tailed sides 73.

Preferably centered in groove 70 are registering pin openings 63 that are in axial alinement with openings 26 of the respective key plug whenthe key plug is in the position in bore 62 that is shown in FIG. 7.

Housing 61 is secured to the body of the door by a slidable housing retainer 75, preferably wide enough to engage both pairs of tenons 68 and 69 located at rear end 65 of both housings positioned as shown in FIG 6. Housing retainer 75 is supplied with dove-tailed sides 76 and 77 that slidably engage the sides of mortised dovetailed groove 78 that extends vertically in the rear of door body in FIG. 6. Groove 78 and key plug housing retainer 75 may be the width of the door, or if the door is wide, may terminate at a point below the lower. edge of the installed key plug housings. 61. Also if it is desirable, and space permits, separate dove-tailed mortised grooves could be provided at the rear of door body it] in which case each housing retainer 75 would engage a single housing end, in a manner. similar to that shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 10 and 11 showthe construction of a single housing retainer adapted to engage both key plug housings 61 of a door assembly such as the one shown in FIG. 6. Housing retainer 75 is provided on its inner surface with a pair of cavities 79 that are large enough to receive the maximum width between edges 80 and 81 of dove-tailed tenons 68 and 69 of both of the key plug housings. Cavities 79 correspond in depth to the thickness of tenous 68 and 69 and do not extend through housing retainer 75. Each individual cavity 79 is located in the housing retainer so that it will be positioned vertically below end portions 65 of its respective housing 61 whenever the said housing retainer is fully inserted in groove 78 and its top 82 is flush with the upper surface 84 of the door body as shown in FIG. 6. A second cavity 85 that is narrower in width than cavity 79 continues from a position above cavity 79 downwardly along the same vertical axis until it intersects cavity 79. Cavity 85 has a width corresponding to the width between the bottoms 86 and $7 of the beveled surfaces of dove tailed tenons 68 and 69. Cavity 85 is positioned so that it will completely engage end 65 of housing 61 whenever housing retainer 75 is flush at its upper end with upper surface 84 of the door body. Cavity 85 is provided with dove-tailed sides 88 that extend from cavity 79 to the upper end of cavity 85. The depth of cavity 85 is the same as that of cavity 79. Edges 88 permit tenons 68 and 69 to engage cavity 85 when housing retainer 75 is fully inserted and is flush with surface 84 of the door.

The assembly of this door is different from that of the door shown in-FIG. 1. A key plug such as 18 or 19 is inserted in bore 62 of key plug housing 61 and snap ring 67 is seated in annular groove 39 with flange 37 seated in annular counter bore 74 at the front of the key plughousing. The snap ring will ride against rear end serted in its key slot until it has displaced all of the tumblers that are acted upon by pins 31 and springs 32 that are held under compression by pin keeper insert 72 that is seated in dove-tailed groove 70. The assembled lock and housing is introduced into its respective bore 89 from the front of door body 19 so that the key in the key slot is vertical. This permits the bottom of the key to engage the appropriate gap in rack teeth 20 of that particular series of locking bolt teeth, the bolt having been already inserted in bore 13 and advanced to the correct position.

Sliding housing retainer is introduced into vertical mortised groove 78 until cavity 79 permits rear end 65 of its respective housing 61 to seat within the cavity, both of key plug housings being introduced at the same time so each. can seat in its proper cavity 79. Housing retainer 75 is progressively lowered until dove tailed edges 88 at the sides of each cavity engage the beveled surfaces of each pair of tenons 63 and 69 thereby securing key plug housings 61 to the door body. The door is now ready to be mounted by its hinge or hinges to its supporting frame and case, and seal its proper opening.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show another type of door construction that while similar to the one shown in FIG. 6, is better suited in situations where the door is very wide and where the key plug housing retainer of the type shown in FIG. 6, would have to be quite long. The tolerance between. mortised groove 78 and the edges of housing retainer 75 is fairly close and the longer these two are, the more difficulty will be encountered in completely inserting the housing retainer in'its groove. Fig. 12 shows the rear of the central portion of a wide door provided with a short, horizontally positioned mortised dove-tailed groove 90 that extends from the rear edge 91 of side 92 of that door. This is the side from which locking bolt 14 projects. Mortised groove 90 continues horizontally for a suitable distance beyond key plug housings 93 and 94 such as those shown in FIG. 15. The key plug housing suitable for this embodiment is similar to the one shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 with the exception that the rear end portion 95 is different than rear portion 65 of housing 61, since this key plug housing requires a different type of housing retainer 101. The construction of rear end 95 of key plug housings 93 and 94 is best illus* trated by FIGS. 15 and 16.

Each key plug housing 93 and 94 is provided with a shallow counterbore 97 at rear end 95 that is concentric with the longitudinal axis of key plugs 18 or 19 and has a diameter corresponding substantially to the width of groove 66 in rear end 65 of key plug housings 61 in FIG. 8. The depth of counterbore 97 is slightly more than the combined thickness of rear end portion 51 of the key plugs and the width of annular groove 39.

The lower portion of both housings 93 and 94 is cut away as was shown in FIG. 7 to permit pinion teeth 17 of each key plug to engage rack teeth 20 of bolt 14. A snap ring 67 is again seated in annular groove .39 and while permitting rotation of key plug 18 or 19 in its respective housing 93 or 94, will prevent it from coming separated fromthe housing.

There is positioned above counter bore 97 at the rear end 95 of each housing, a single beveled tenon 98 that extends horizontally from one side of cylindrical housing 93 or 94 to the other. The top edge 99 of tenon 98 terminates at a point just below the bottom. of mortised dove-tailed groove 100 located in the upper cylindrical surface of housing 93 or 94 and corresponding to groove 70 in housing 61.

The key plug housing retainer 101 adapted for use in this alternativev embodiment comprises a substantially rectangular insert of suflioient width and thickness to seat flush in groove 90. Edges 102 and 103 of the housing retainer are dovetailed to correspond to the beveled edges of groove 90.

The inner surface of key plug housing retainer 101 is provided with a first cavity 104 and a second adjoining cavity 105 arranged in sequence from the insertable end of retainer 101, and near the end of housing retainer 101 that is flush with side 92 of the door when the retainer is fully inserted, respectively. First cavity 104 is slightly wider than the distance between edge 99 of tenon 98 and the bottom of key 21 or 22 when this is inserted in its respective key slot 23 or 24. The length of cavity 104 is slightly more than the distance between ends 106 and 107 of the horizontal diameters of key plug housings 93 and 94 when these are installed in the door as shown in FIG. 15. Cavity 104 will commence near the insertable end of key plug housing retainer 101 and when retainer 101 is fully seated in groove 100, will lie to the right of both key plug housings 93 and 94. The depth of cavity 104 will be slightly more than the distance that tenon 98 extends from its end 95 to vertical edge 112 at the rear end of mortised groove 100. Cavity 105 has the same depth and neither of these cavities extend through housing retainer 101.

The lower edge of cavity 105 is a continuation of lower edge 108 of cavity 104. Upper edge 109 of cavity 105 is spaced from lower edge 108 a distance equivalent to the distance from the bottom of key 21 or 22 when inserted in its slot to the bottom edge 110 of the beveled surface of tenon 98. From upper edge 109 at the forward surface of cavity 105 there is a beveled surface 111 that extends upwardly from edge 109 and forms a groove that will receive the beveled surface of tenon 98. The length of cavity 105 is slightly more than the distance between ends 106 and 107 of the horizontal diameters of key plug housings 93 and 94 when these are mounted in the door body, and when housing retainer 101 is completely inserted with its outer end flush with the rear edge of the door as shown in FIG. 12, there beveled edge of retainer 101 will engage both tenons 98 of the housings 93 and 94, when both tenons 98 are in horizontal alinement with each other.

The new and improved double locking door set forth in its various embodiments in this specification possesses many advantages over the conventional safe-deposit type of door, with twin locks, presently in use. The key plugs are fully housed in the door body, and nothing destroys the smooth continuity of the door except the hinge element and the stopping portion that faces the locking bolt when it is in its extended or locking position. Besides the key plugs all the other elements of the locking door are fully housed in the body of the door with the excep tion of the locking end of the bolt that must project from the door to efiect closure.

The locking elements and various members of the novel door are all easily accessible and can be easily replaced should this become necessary. The novel combination also permits the locking bolt to be placed at any desired location in the door body. This is a great advantage since in relatively wide doors it is possible to center the locking bolt and still house it inside the body of the door thus insuring the most effective type of closure member.

Various alterations may be made in the details of construction without departing from the scope of the present invent-ion as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a locking device for a closure or a door: closure means coextensive with an opening and constituting a housing body; a cylindrical opening in said housing body; a cylindrical key plug rotatably mounted within said cylindrical opening, said key plug having longitudinally extending pinion teeth thereon; retaining means at one end of said key plug engaging said key plug and said housing body; a locking bolt slidably housed by said closure means constituting said housing body, said locking bolt 10 being supported to move in a direction that is normal to the direction in which the axis of the key plug extends; rack teeth on said locking bolt engageable by the pinion teeth of said key plug; whereby rotation of the key plug efiects reciprocation of the locking bolt.

2. In a locking device for a closure or a door: a door body coextensive with an opening and having a front side and a rear side; a first cylindrical opening and a second cylindrical opening in adjacent portion-s of the door body near the upper side thereof, said openings extending transversely through said body of the door; a cylindrical key plug rotatably mounted in each of said transverse cylindrical openings, said key plugs having longitudinally extending pinion teeth thereon; a key plug retaining means at the rear end of each key plug, each key plug retaining means being provided with means for engaging the rear end portion of its respective key plug, including means for engaging the rear side of said door body; a longitudinally extending key slot in each of said key plugs at one side thereof; locking means housed within each of said key plugs and displaceable by a key inserted in each of said key slots; the bottom of each key, when in said key slot acting as one of said pinion teeth associated with its respective key plug; locking means housed within registering openings in the upper portion of said door body adjoining the respective locking means of each respective key plug when the locking means in said respective key plug are in axial alinement with said registering openings, said registering openings extending to the upper surface of said door body; retainer means engaging the upper side of said door body positioned at the ends of said registering openings and containing said locking means housed in said registering openings; a locking bolt slidably housed within said door body, said locking bolt being supported to move in a direction that is normal to the direction in which the axes of said key plugs extend; rack teeth on said locking bolt engageable by the respective pinion teeth and said key inserted in said respective key plugs; whereby displacement of said locking means within each key plug by insertion of the respective key, and rotation of said key plugs, effects reciprocation of the locking bolt.

3. A locking device for a closure or a door according to claim 2 wherein the locking means housed in each of said key plugs are tumbler means, and locking means housed in said registering openings in said upper portion of the door body are pin means including spring means.

4. A locking device for a closure or a door according to claim 2 wherein the body engaging means for engaging the rear side of said door body, of each key plug retaining means comprises a member having sides engageable by a retaining groove mor-tised in the rear side of said door body, said retaining groove being positioned at the end of said respective key plug.

5. A locking device for a closure or a door according to claim 2 wherein the body engaging retainer means for engaging the top of said door body comprises a member having sides engageable by a retaining groove mortised in the top edge of said door body, said retaining groove being positioned normal to the rear side of said door body and at the upper ends of said registering openings in the upper portion of said door body, said retainer means being slidably insertable in said retaining groove.

6. A locking device for a closure or a door according to claim 2, wherein the body engaging means of said key plug retaining means comprises a member having sides engageable by a cooperating retaining groove mortised in the rear side of said door, said retaining groove being positioned at the rear end of each key plug, said key plug retaining means being provided with a retaining notch at the upper end thereof that is engageable by the respective locking means retainer means that engages the upper side of said door body at the end of said registering openings in the upper portion or said door body, whereby insertion of said locking means retainer means in its respective notch in the upper end portion of said key plug retaining means and simultaneous engagement by the locking means retainer means of the upper side of said door body, secures said key plug retaining means in its cooperating retaining groove in the rear of said door body.

7. A locking device for a closure or a door according to claim 2 wherein said key plug retaining means comprise individual key plug retainer members, each member provided with sides engageable by a respective retaining groove mortised in the rear side of said door body, each of said grooves being positioned at the rear end of its respective key plug.

8. A locking device for a closure or a door according to claim 2 wherein said key plugs are each provided with a annular groove at the rear end portion thereof, and said key plug retaining means at the rear end of each key plug engageable by the rear side of said door body includes a cavity proportioned to receive the end of said respective key plug the upper portion of said 12 cavity having a substantially se-mielliptical lip engageable by said annular groove at the rear end portion of said respective key plug, whereby moving the upper portion of the lip of a cavity into engagement with said annular groove of the respective key plug rotatably secures said key plug within said door body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 588,026 Stradtmuller Aug. 10, 1897 591,439 Voight Oct. 12, 1897 1,044,186 Kimbal et al. Nov. 12, 1912 1,577,335 Mariotti Mar. 16, 1926 1,700,129 Hausmann Jan. 29, 1929 1,838,333 Stone Dec. 29, 1931 2,194,244 Machinist Mar. 19, 1940 2,696,099 Uher Dec. 7, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 619,815 Germany Oct. 11, 1935 

2. IN A LOCKING DEVICE FOR A CLOSURE OF A DOOR: A DOOR BODY COEXTENSIVE WITH AN OPENING AND HAVING A FRONT SIDE AND REAR SIDE; A FIRST CYLINDRICAL OPENING AND A SECOND CYLINDRICAL OPENING IN ADJACENT PORTIONS OF THE DOOR BODY NEAR THE UPPER SIDE THEREOF, SAID OPENINGS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THROUGH SAID BODY OF THE DOOR; A CYLINDRICAL KEY PLUG ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN EACH OF SAID TRANSVERSE CYLINDRICAL OPENINGS, SAID KEY PLUGS HAVING LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PINION TEETH THEREON; A KEY PLUG RETAINING MERNS AT THE REAR END OF EACH KEY PLUG, EACH KEY PLUG RETAINING MEANS BEING PROVIDED WITH MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE REAR END PORTION OF ITS RESPECTIVE KEY PLUG INCLUDING MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE REAR SIDE OF SAID DOOR BODY; A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING KEY SLOT IN EACH OF SAID KEY PLUGS AT ONE SIDE THEREOF; LOCKING MEANS HOUSED WITHIN EACH OF SAID KEY PLUGS AND DISPLACEABLE BY A KEY INSERTED IN EACH OF SAID KEY SLOTS; THE BOTTOM OF EACH KEY, WHEN IN SAID KEY SLOT ACTING AS ONE OF SAID PINION TEETH ASSOCIATED WITH ITS RESPECTIVE KEY PLUG; LOCKING MEANS HOUSED WITHIN REGISTERING OPENINGS IN THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID DOOR ADJOINING THE RESPECTIVE LOCKING MEANS OF EACH RESPECTIVE KEY PLUG WHEN THE LOCKING MEANS IN SAID RESPECTIVE KEY PLUG ARE IN AXIAL ALINEMENT WITH SAID REGISTERING OPENINGS, SAID REGISTERING OPENINGS EXTENDING TO THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID DOOR BODY; RATINER MEANS ENGAGING THE UPPER SIDE OF SAID DOOR BODY POSITIONED AT THE ENDS OF SAID REGISTERING OPENINGS AND CONTAINING SID LOCKING MEANS HOUSED IN SAID REGISTERING OPENINGS; A LOCKING BOLT SLIDABLY HOUSED WITHIN SAID DOOR BODY, SAID LOCKING BOLT BEING SUPPORTED TO MOVE IN A DIRECTION THAT IS NORMAL TO THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THE AXES OF SAID KEY PLUGS EXTEND; RACK TEETH ON SAID LOCKING BOLT ENGAGEABLE BY THE RESPECTIVE PINION TEETH AND SAID KEY INSERTED IN SAID RESPECTIVE KEY PLUGS; WHEREBY DISPLACEMENT OF SAID LOCKING MEANS WITHIN EACH KEY PLUG BY INSERTION OF THE RESPECTIVE KEY, AND ROTATION OF SAID KEY PLUGS, EFFECTS RECIPROCATION OF THE LOCKING BOLT. 